Why Is It So Hard to Get Answers About Bullying?

If your child is being bullied, you’d expect the school to step in and help. But what happens when they don’t? What happens when you ask for answers and get nothing but vague responses, empty reassurances, or outright silence?

Many parents facing bullying issues quickly realize how difficult it is to get clear information. Schools can be evasive, brushing off concerns or claiming they’re “handling it” without giving details. Policies that should protect students often seem buried in bureaucracy, difficult to find, or even harder to enforce. This has been one of my biggest fights for my sweet daughter with the school and it’s just being dragged out longer with no answers or solutions. 

But you DO have rights. And you CAN take action.

• Request a copy of the school’s bullying policy – they are required to have one. I had to dig for this one and the school seems more focused on cell phone usage than they are bullying. Take a peek at how vague and minuscule this bullying policy is. The only other resource for anyone is the ERASE website which is also very vague, has no guidelines to repercussions or discipline for the act of bullying. Where is the zero tolerance? Let kids and parents know they will be expelled for bullying.

• Document every incident and every conversation – dates, times, names, and responses. This is a lot harder now that cell phones have been removed from school. Now my daughter has to play the he said/she said game and teachers are supposed to be helpful but they have not been. They have caused more harm than anything. 

• Contact the school board – if the school won’t act, take it to the next level. I reached out to them a few times now and I am still very unsatisfied. 

• Reach out to the ombudsperson – they can help navigate the system and advocate for your child. You can find the ombudsperson for your area online and they can reach out and do some digging on the situation. They don’t accept complaints via email but you can call and write them. 

• File an appeal if necessary – if the school refuses to act, push forward. There is a form you can use to appeal the process if you are unsatisfied like I am. 

Bullying needs to end NOW. If we stand together, demand accountability, and refuse to be ignored, they HAVE to do something. Every child deserves to feel safe at school. It’s time for real action. I am right near the end of this list and will now be filing an appeal for my little girl and hopefully we can make some changes, because I have had enough. 

Have you had trouble getting answers from your school? Let’s share resources, experiences, and solutions—because no one should have to fight this battle alone.